Wednesday, October 15, 2008

On Unity

The River

In the valley of Kadisha where the mighty river flows, two little streams met and spoke to one another.

One stream said, "How came you, my friend, and how was your path?"

And the other answered, "My path was most encumbered. The wheel of the mill was broken, and the master farmer who used to conduct me from my channel to his plants, is dead. I struggled down oozing with the filth of those who do naught but sit and bake their laziness in the sun. But how was your path, my brother?"

And the other stream answered and said, "Mine was a different path. I came down the hills among fragrant flowers and shy willows; men and women drank of me with silvery cups, and little children paddled their rosy feet at my edges, and there was laughter all about me, and there were sweet songs. What a pity that your path was not so happy."

At that moment the river spoke with a loud voice and said, "Come in, come in, we are going to the sea. Come in, come in, speak no more. Be with me now. We are going to the sea. Come in, come in, for in me you shall forget your wanderings, sad or gay. Come in, come in. And you and I will forget all our ways when we reach the heart of our mother the sea."

With so much politicking these days and so many scandals unearthed daily, we are thankful that the sun still shines despite the gloomy days ahead. Whatever that is happening to our beloved nation now, has a purpose. It will teach us that we cannot continue to sit back and relax nor watch from afar when people with evil schemes are playing partisan politics to serve their own agenda.

We need to stand united and go against such rampant abuses of the systems be it in parliament, courts, universities or even in the offices of the ruling regime. We need men and women of courage to take up their rightful roles and say what is wrong is wrong and there is no two ways about it. Until we see such a day, we will still have to dream and hopefully this dream will be a sweet one soon.

Khalil Gibran is a mystic. those of us who have read him may appreciate this. The parable of the little rivers and the big that goes to the union with the ocean is a remarkable one, replete with wonders, beauty and imaginative meaning. But how do you get the p**s in BN to accept the pearls of the Khalil Gibrans of this world. As long as they keep insisting that we trust them without listening to our voices, I wwep for my country